The present invention relates to storage drawers, and more particularly, it relates to structures, such as vanities and other bathroom cabinets, which have side drawers that extend diagonally.
Conventional vanities for use in bathrooms, or other areas, typically may have a mirror on the wall or otherwise to the rear of the vanity, and may also include a sink when used in a bathroom. In many instances the vanity has a storage area below a top surface, and depending on the size of the vanity, may have drawers that slide directly forward, and/or doors which pivot outward from the front of the vanity.
It is not uncommon that the doors provide access to a storage area which may store cleaning supplies and other expendable items, which a user may need to access while using the vanity, sink, and/or mirror. It is not always convenient to have drawers in a vanity open forward, as this requires a person to move either backward or to the side, at which point they may be out of reach of the sink or out of view of the mirror.
Further, there may not be enough space in the room in which the vanity is installed for drawers and/or doors to open forward. Additionally, there may be market reasons such as product differentiation, or other aesthetic or design reasons, to have drawers and/or doors which open other than forward. Although it is relatively easy to conceive that a conventional drawer may be mounted in the vanity so as to open from the side, by rotating the drawer slides in the vanity orthogonal to their normal position, such drawers have the disadvantage of not opening toward a typical position of the user for easy access.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,071,599 shows a vanity structure in which a drawer opens by pivoting from the side. However, a disadvantage of this design is that the drawers are not well supported in the open position. U.S. Pat. No. 1,187,356 shows guides L and L′ both at the sides and bottom of a cabinet structure, which will interact with corresponding elements of a drawer to allow the drawer to move orthogonally from the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 1,458,449 shows openable side drawers on opposed sides of a cabinet, which again pivot, and which are accordion style drawers which are not suitable to vanity designs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,659 shows multiple other pivoting structures associated with a cabinet, including a conventional drawer which can be accessed once a section is pivoted outward.
In any event, it is desired to develop further improved slideout drawers and structures, such as vanities, which have drawers that open from the side, and which still open forward with good support for the drawer.